CK5
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79 K30 crew cab

Modern-ish drivetrain and creature comforts
So I came to my senses , sold the dually. This truck is getting a diesel and a 3rd pedal .

After the raging disappointment of the 8.1 swap on my 71 gmc , I should have known better . But the good deal on the dually clouded my judgement.
 
So I came to my senses , sold the dually. This truck is getting a diesel and a 3rd pedal .

After the raging disappointment of the 8.1 swap on my 71 gmc , I should have known better . But the good deal on the dually clouded my judgement.
What was so disappointing about the 8.1 swap?
 
Definitely not the power house it was cracked up to be , in fact I would describe it as a gutless pig .

I’m ok with gutless , Hell I have a fleet of 6.2’s/6.5’s. I’m just not willing to be gutless and have shitty mileage....

It’s my own fault, I knew better . I just got sucked into the hype on here lol . Larrrys super clean install makes it so appealing.

I wanted diesel tourqeiness , with the sound of a nice big block through some flowmasters . I got the nice sound lol.

Again I knew better, my ex-wife had a crew cab dually 8.1/ZF6 when we got married . ............... but time and CK5 made me forget what a turd that truck was lol.

Bottom line once you have a modern diesel and get the best of both worlds you can’t go back to fuel sucking big blocks .
 
It's always funny to hear people opinions and expectations. I had a 99 24v Cummins, and to be 100% honest, I would take my 8.1/NV4500 over that any day. Loaded truck vs Loaded Truck they got the same exact mileage. Sure empty the 24v would get 18 and empty my 8.1 gets 11, but for me I rarely ever drive my trucks unless their loaded, so it made no difference on mileage. So it all depends on how you want to use the truck too.

And my 8.1 is stock with just a custom tune on it. And the tune made all the difference. My stock 8.1 with a tune on it has the same, if not more tq as that stock 24v had, but without the turbo lag. Again, to each their own, but it's always funny to me to hear people talk about the 8.1. It's one of the only motors I've heard people talk about where you either really like it, or you really hate it, no in between. It's kinda interesting really
 
I never even did a Build thread on that truck , I didn’t have it long . Most of the pictures I had got lost when my phone took a swim .

It is a 71 C2500 , rust free truck that had been restored sometime in the late 90’s and parked in Aircraft hanger .

I built up another frame with the 8.1/NV4500/Ford/NP205 a 78/79 Ford 60 and a 11.5 AAM from a 3500 ram . 35” bfg’s on some western turbine mags .

Swapped on the body and drove it for about two weeks and didn’t like it , ended up selling the 8.1 to friend of a friend who had blown up the 8.1 in his GMT800 the truck ended up sitting for a couple years with no engine and I sold the body and 2wd drive frame to @DokWatson .

The axles and trans and tcase will probably end up in this 79 now that it’s getting a Cummins, I have a 2wd Cummins NV4500 , I will rob the tailshat from the chevy 4500 and build a hybrid.
 
Funny, I have never driven a big block that could be considered a "turd" and I've driven all kinds. Supercharged ramjet 502, to a bottom feeder smog era 454. Even a 8.1 burb.
No healthy (proper compression, firing on all 8, fuel and spark, etc,) BBC is a turd. Even a smog era BBC is still a one wheel tire fryer.
And yes I have driven all kinds of modern diesels. I would regularly race and beat my uncles 12v with my tbi big-block.
Was it modded? No, but either is my tbi454.
I understand turning up the pump and turbo and blah, blah, blah, I can put cam and heads on a big block. So I won't compare modded stuff. Stock via stock.
Fuel milage, you say? The extra cost up front and the cost at the pump. I can feed alot of fuel in a BBC for that extra cost. So yes, they eat fuel like a fat girl on hot day eating popsicles.

Maybe it was a the crew dually weight. But turd? I doubt it.
 
I don’t hate big blocks , the 8.1 is just over hyped.

It is without a doubt the best BBC to come from the factory in a pickup ....... but that’s still like being the smartest retard .

I have had built big blocks , currently a 496 and a 540
I have had smog era carb 454’s
I have/currently have TBI 454’s
I have/currently have Vortec 454’s
I have had 2 8.1’s and known many guys that have tried them and went back to diesel .

Am I the be all expert ? No I’m not .

But my experience has shown me that for my useage a Cummins or Dmax is what I want .

My 8.1 was not stock I had installed a Raylar BP-203 cam kit and a Dart intake ( so I could run a normal air cleaner ) my ex’s truck had a programmer and full exhaust.

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For Sale :

Had some things come up with Patty’s family .

If it doesn’t sell locally in the next 2 weeks then it will be back to the regularly scheduled build where nothing happens because I’m broke and don’t have time haha!
 
Keeping the caps lol I have some trimmed K20 caps that are going on it ......
 
Cliffnotes for those that care to hear :

Dipshit Brother in Law was supposed to pay property taxes (about 6500.00 a year) that’s his “rent” for living on 20,000 acre ranch .

He is two years behind , I had to cut a check yesterday to keep the county from attaching a lien on the property.

But it pretty much wiped me out , and we have bills do before the first that I can pay , but it leaves me with about 150.00 in fuel and grocery money :( not to mention wiping out my savings.

And Patty’s in Basic Training, so I cant even talk to her about this.
 
I really wish that I could buy the whole truck and help you. I wouldn't even care about the hubcaps..
Alas, I can't buy it, or drive that far for it right now.
:what:
 
Funny, I have never driven a big block that could be considered a "turd" and I've driven all kinds. Supercharged ramjet 502, to a bottom feeder smog era 454. Even a 8.1 burb.
No healthy (proper compression, firing on all 8, fuel and spark, etc,) BBC is a turd. Even a smog era BBC is still a one wheel tire fryer.
And yes I have driven all kinds of modern diesels. I would regularly race and beat my uncles 12v with my tbi big-block.
Was it modded? No, but either is my tbi454.
I understand turning up the pump and turbo and blah, blah, blah, I can put cam and heads on a big block. So I won't compare modded stuff. Stock via stock.
Fuel milage, you say? The extra cost up front and the cost at the pump. I can feed alot of fuel in a BBC for that extra cost. So yes, they eat fuel like a fat girl on hot day eating popsicles.

Maybe it was a the crew dually weight. But turd? I doubt it.
I would beg to differ...
 
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